Denmark, the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States are deeply disappointed by the Guurti’s decision to delay further Somaliland’s electoral cycle, unilaterally extending the government’s term beyond even the dates requested by government.
The further postponement of the presidential election to November 2017 and the parliamentary and local elections to 2019 was given without justification or a plan for addressing the obstacles to holding the long-delayed parliamentary polls.
These delays undermine democratic progress in Somaliland and have caused serious concern among international partners about the government’s credibility and respect for democratic norms. We note that Parliamentarians will have been in office 14 years without an election under this plan, more than twice the constitutional limit.
We therefore urge the Guurti, as a sign of respect to Somaliland voters, to reconsider their decision and set a timeline for presidential, parliamentary, and local elections to take place as soon as technically feasible.
As donors, we have been clear on extensions of mandate and delay of elections, as well as their implications. The Somaliland Government’s credibility is at stake and significant investments are being lost. Regrettably, as previously stated, donors will not cover the costs that these delays will incur.
